One-Eyed Monster

At last, Musa could stop overexerting his remaining Spirit Power.

It wasn't easy, really wasn't easy! Musa's heart was far from tranquil.

The mission this time was tougher than any before. For instance, he'd found himself utterly unable to retaliate against just a few walking corpses—something that would have been unthinkable in the past.

Moreover, they had never seen their antagonist's true face. The enemy had lurked in the shadows, manipulating everything. The walking corpses had pursued them so quickly that Musa had no time to prepare at all.

Although only three or four walking corpses had pursued him then, each was faster and stronger than he was, leaving him barely any time to react. Apart from desperately using the Spirit Wall to defend, Musa couldn't think of any other effective methods. Later, when those walking corpses dismembered themselves, turning into fragments that madly pounced on them—never mind the attack power of the severed limbs and legs, the grisly, blood-drenched sight alone was enough for Musa to process for a long time.

Those people pulling the strings are truly ruthless, completely disregarding the lives of their subordinates! They treat their own men like mere tools!

But all of that was over now. The Great Witch's advancement had resolved the crisis. Although Qi Liu had taken a nasty fall in the process, and Axia, that chattering pest, also seemed to have been shaken—he'd been silent ever since.

Of course, the one who gained the most from this whole ordeal should be me. Although I didn't manage to advance in my profession like Biggs, I overcame the biggest recent obstacle in my heart. That obstacle, though newly formed, had troubled me immensely. Now, having experienced this disaster's baptism, I've finally recovered and suddenly understood many things.

Musa finally shed the question of whether he was useless. It's clear that I'm not useless! During this crisis, even if I wasn't a central pillar, I was at least a capable assistant. If I hadn't struggled to use the Spirit Wall to protect everyone, who knows what state we'd be in now? If I were useless, would we still have a foothold on this mountain path? If I were useless, how could I have awakened the Great Witch at the crucial moment? If I were useless, how could I have bought enough time for the Great Witch to advance? All these details tell me I'm not useless. In fact, no one is useless; everyone has their own unique strengths.

Take Axia, for example, who's silent now. If he hadn't been the first to identify the Wire Puppet parasite, who would have been on high alert from the very beginning of the disaster? And I think Axia's sarcastic remarks throughout our journey also played a positive role, at least for me. I remember the immense pride I felt when he hid behind my Spirit Wall.

Qi Liu isn't useless either. Without Qi Liu, we'd probably still be running around like headless chickens. Of course, without Qi Liu, none of this would have happened. And if none of this had occurred, I'd definitely still be stuck in that painful cycle of wondering if I'm useless. So, deep down, I'm now very grateful to Qi Liu for giving me this task.

This was all fated! It was definitely not accidental that the Great Witch advanced to Gray Robe at such a critical moment. Now that everything has settled, the Great Witch not only advanced to become a wind-element Gray Robe but also mastered the Wind Control Technique in a remarkably short time. If this is still a coincidence, then the world is far too coincidental.

Watching the fragments of the corpses spinning endlessly in the air, Musa heaved a long sigh of relief. If the Great Witch hadn't advanced, I don't know what kind of suffering we'd be enduring right now. My own Spirit Power was squeezed to its absolute limit. If I had pushed on for just a moment longer, my whole body might have collapsed.

Fortunately, although the Great Witch was always late, she invariably managed to neutralize dangers one by one with her unrefined Magic at every critical juncture.

Now, those corpse fragments had no power to resist. Being a wind-element Gray Robe was clearly more than just a title.

"So, what should we do next?" Great Witch Biggs asked, breaking the awkward silence and pulling Musa from his endless daydreams.

Biggs's question seemed simple, but its implications ran deeper than the surface.

At this moment, they had no idea what to do next.

Should we continue down the mountain and return to the tavern empty-handed? If so, what was the point of coming up the mountain this time? Just for a leisurely tour? If we don't go down but stay on the mountain, how would we deal with another attack from corpse fragments controlled by those Wire Puppets? Relying solely on the Great Witch isn't realistic. Most importantly, our purpose for coming up the mountain was to find Young Master Hustace. Although we found him, that fleeting glimpse probably isn't enough to satisfy any of us, right?

"Should we continue tracking Governor Rostov's son…" Musa proposed quietly; it seemed only he and the Great Witch were still in a normal state.

After Qi Liu took that nasty face-plant, his head was spinning, and he was completely disoriented; his eyes were filled with a dazed look.

As for Axia, he was like a mute—a very timid one at that—curled up with his arms around his knees in a corner, utterly silent.

Musa had no choice but to look to the Great Witch, hoping she would assume the role of the temporary leader of this small team.

But Witch Biggs was fated not to possess the air of a leader. She once again shook her head, asking, "So, what exactly should we do next?"

Did her brain really get damaged by the advancement? Shouldn't this be the perfect opportunity for her to rally everyone? Why is she still so cluelessly consulting others?

"We continue to search for Young Master Hustace. This path is the only way down the mountain in this area. The one who captured the Young Master will inevitably pass through here," Qi Liu said, rubbing his face. The dazed look in his eyes had diminished significantly.

This is fate! The same phrase reverberated in Musa's heart again.

Indeed, the leadership of this small team once again fell on Qi Liu's shoulders.

Qi Liu didn't possess extraordinary skills, but he was a born Politician. He could assess the situation in an instant and devise a plan acceptable to everyone.

"The one who captured Hustace is likely a Hunter of considerable skill. I reckon the few of us combined are no match for him," Qi Liu continued. "We have no choice but to take this road downhill, and neither does he. So, he will definitely pass through here. We just need to wait patiently. Your Excellency Great Witch, please, you must help us retrieve Young Master Hustace. Governor Rostov can provide you with a letter of recommendation. With this letter, no matter which branch of the Wizard Alliance you go to, they will receive you warmly."

Just a few sentences were enough to reveal the strategic acumen of a natural-born Politician. The small, bewildered team immediately became active again after Qi Liu's maneuvering.

Perhaps this is the destiny everyone is meant to have.